Meaningful Ways to Engage Your Madrichim in the Classroom

Erica Hruby is a Jewish educator with over 28-years of teaching, curriculum writing, and professional development experience in Jewish community, academic, and residential environments. Erica serves as the Senior Manager of National Teen Education and Engagement at The Jewish Education Project, formerly the Executive Director of JTEEN - Jewish Teen Education & Engagement Network. She is also the founder of Anchored Parenting, LLC where she serves as an educator and coach for tw/eens, parents, and grandparents. Erica has an M.A. from Georgia School of Professional Psychology in Clinical Psychology with a focus on children and adolescents. She lives in Clearwater, Florida with her high school sweetheart with whom she shares two daughters.

Melissa Pescatore is the Director of Religious Education at Temple Shaari Emeth in Manalapan, NJ. Serving as principal in the congregation where she grew up, she is passionate about instilling a love of learning and building a strong, positive Jewish identity in her students. She is also a proud graduate of the LEEP Fellowship at NewCAJE and is the co-leader of NewCAJE’s National Madrichim Fellowship.